The Sun Inn

‘Sitting on the terrace in summer, beneath the church, feels like a touch of Europe in rural Essex,’ remarked one reporter after visiting this slice of English heritage in the heart of Dedham. Run with consummate style by Piers Baker, the revamped 15th-century Sun Inn balances those heritage features (clattering floorboards, heavy beamed ceilings, real fires galore) with all the trappings of a contemporary dining venue and an on-point kitchen. Soups are ‘always a stand-out’ (perhaps spiced Crown Prince squash with lentil and coconut yoghurt), and pastas are highly recommended (tagliatelle with walnuts and Swiss chard, say); otherwise, aged British steaks receive the full treatment, while other dishes come with a noticeable Mediterranean accent – from house stracciatella with black fig and golden beetroot dressing to salt-marsh lamb chops accompanied by merguez-stuffed olive, aubergine and chickpeas. Desserts promise the comforting glow of, say, warm apple and spiced raisin tart. The attention to detail extends to ‘superb local beers’ and a carefully curated, predominantly Old World wine list with plenty by the glass and carafe at refreshing prices.